Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for cooperation among all sections of society to counter attempts to create confusion over Bangladesh’s Liberation War and the 2024 mass uprising, accusing a group of first making the Liberation War controversial and now casting doubt on the uprising.
He made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon while visiting the Dharma Sabha Radha Gobinda Temple on Station Road in Rangpur city and exchanging views with members of the Sanatan community on the occasion of Durga Puja.
Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami, the prime minister said: “Come to parliament and speak. We want to hear your views. If you say anything in the interests of the people, we are willing to accept it.”
Tarique Rahman said the government was working to improve healthcare, business and commerce, and law and order while maintaining stability.
“We want to move beyond all kinds of confusion. For this, I want to be closer to the people of the country and seek their cooperation. We want to work together with people of all religions,” he said.
He added that the government was working to improve healthcare and education, create employment opportunities, support business and commerce, and maintain peace and order. He called on people to cooperate in building a safe Bangladesh.
Tarique Rahman said people of all religions, including Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians, had participated in the 1971 Liberation War.
“Through our united participation in the war, we liberated the country,” he said.
He also said people from all religious and ethnic backgrounds had taken to the streets during the mass uprising 2 years ago, helping free the country from authoritarian rule.
“We now want to establish a peaceful Bangladesh for the future,” he said.
The prime minister said his party had come to power with a strong public mandate in the recent election. Although the party had won in some regions and lost in others, he said the government considered itself elected by people across the country.
He said the government wanted to ensure balanced development across all regions.
The government had allocated Tk 1,800 crore for Rangpur city’s development at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), he said. He added that he had instructed the authorities to allocate funds through the district council for infrastructure and road development in Rangpur district and its upazilas.
Earlier, Tarique Rahman arrived at the Radha Gobinda Temple at 12:07pm. Thousands of men and women stood along both sides of the 40km road from Saidpur Airport to the venue to welcome him.
During the event, the prime minister handed over a cheque for Tk 10 lakh to support the temple’s development. He also assured the community of assistance in constructing a 6-story building at the temple for poor and meritorious Sanatan students.
The program was chaired by temple committee president Bhabatosh Sarkar.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member Goyasawar Chandra Roy addressed the event, along with Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Dhaka district BNP president Nipun Roy Chowdhury, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam and other leaders.
